Chapter 41: A Quick Stop

As Miss Harper pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store, she glanced back at the boys. "Alright, quick stop. Your mom gave me a list, so let's get what we need and head home."

Jake and Alex nodded, still sipping the last of their root beer floats. They hopped out of the Impala and followed Miss Harper into the store.

Inside, they weaved through the aisles, grabbing the essentials—milk, bread, eggs, and a few other items. As they were checking out, Alex tugged on Miss Harper’s sleeve. "Can we get some popcorn for movie night?"

Miss Harper smirked. "Alright, but only if you promise to help clean up after."

They added a bag of popcorn to the cart, paid for their items, and made their way back to the car. As they loaded the groceries into the trunk, Miss Harper couldn't shake a strange feeling—like someone was watching them. She subtly glanced around the parking lot but saw nothing out of the ordinary.

Shaking off the uneasy feeling, she ushered the boys into the car. "Alright, home we go," she said, starting the engine.

As they pulled onto the road, Jake flipped through the cassette collection again. "Can we play Dad’s mix again?"

Miss Harper smiled and nodded. "Of course, kiddo."

The familiar chords of Carry On My Wayward Son filled the Impala as they drove home, the golden hues of the setting sun casting long shadows over the road.

They arrive back home, and mrs. faulkner is talking with one of the neighbors when Miss harper says hey I'm sorry to interrupt, but can i park in your garage.... mrs. faulkners says "yeah sure clicker is in the kitchen cupboard."

Miss Harper nodded and quickly went inside to grab the garage door clicker. As she returned, she pressed the button, and the door rumbled open. She carefully pulled the Impala inside, feeling a little more at ease, knowing it was safely tucked away.

Mrs. Faulkner finished her conversation with the neighbor and walked over to the garage as Miss Harper stepped out of the car.

"Everything okay?" Mrs. Faulkner asked, noticing the serious look on Miss Harper’s face.

Miss Harper sighed. "Yeah… just had a weird run-in at the car show. Some guy in a suit and sunglasses was acting strange around us. I didn’t like the vibe, so I wanted to keep the Impala out of sight for now."

Mrs. Faulkner frowned. "Did he threaten you?"

"No, just… unsettling. But I got the contact info of an off-duty detective who was there, just in case," Miss Harper reassured her.

Mrs. Faulkner nodded. "Good thinking. If anything feels off, let me know, and we'll take extra precautions."

The boys, who had been standing nearby, looked between the two adults. Alex finally spoke up. "Miss Harper was like a total badass, Mom. She told the guy off and everything!"

Miss Harper chuckled. "Well, I wasn’t about to let anything happen to you two."

Mrs faulkner says i ain't gonna allow anything to happen to you either harper why don't you stay the night you can have my room. I'll take the couch.

Miss Harper smiled appreciatively. "Thanks, but I don’t want to put you out of your own bed."

Mrs. Faulkner shook her head. "Nonsense. You’ve done so much for my boys, and if something's got you uneasy, I’d rather have you here where it’s safe.

Miss harper says thank-you this means alot... mrs. faulkner says, "Of course, anytime now, how about we get inside? I'll make you some tea to calm your nerves."

Miss Harper nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "That sounds perfect, thank you."

The boys ran ahead into the house, kicking off their shoes as Mrs. Faulkner led Miss Harper to the kitchen. She pulled out a kettle and set it on the stove, grabbing a tin of tea leaves from the cupboard. As the water heated, she turned back to Miss Harper.

"Alright, tell me everything. What exactly did this guy say to you?" Mrs. Faulkner asked, leaning against the counter.

Miss Harper sighed, running a hand through her hair. "He just came up out of nowhere, complimented the Impala, but there was something…

Off about him, i felt like he was staring at the boys through his shades

Mrs. Faulkner’s expression darkened. "That’s not just weird. That’s disturbing."

Miss Harper nodded. "Yeah, that’s why I wanted to get The impala out of sight. i felt uneasy on the way to the store, and as we left the store like someone was watching... before we left the car show I saw a note on my car it said beautiful car stay safe in bold letters.

Mrs. Faulkner’s grip tightened on her mug. "That’s not just a coincidence. Someone's definitely watching you."

Miss Harper exhaled deeply, trying to shake off the nerves, but she just couldn't. She pulled out the business card and showed it to mrs. faulkner and said, This is that detective."

Mrs. Faulkner took the card and studied it. "Detective Singer… I think you should call him Harper. Just to be safe."

Miss Harper hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yeah, you’re right." She pulled out her phone, took a deep breath, and dialed the number.

After a few rings, a gruff voice answered, "Singer."

"Hi, this is Miss Harper. We met at the car show earlier today. You gave me your card?"

"Ah, yeah, I remember. Everything alright?" Detective Singer’s voice was calm but attentive.

Miss Harper glanced at Mrs. Faulkner before continuing. "Not really. When we left the show, I found a note on my car. It said, ‘Beautiful car, stay safe.’ And I’ve had this weird feeling like we were being watched ever since."

There was a brief pause on the other end of the line. "That’s not something to ignore. Do you still have the note?"

"Yeah," Miss Harper confirmed.

"Good. I want you to bring it in tomorrow. I’ll run some checks to see if we can get any fingerprints or connections."

Miss Harper swallowed hard. "Okay. Thanks, Detective."

"Lock your doors tonight, and if you see anything—anything—out of place, call me immediately," he instructed.

"Will do,"

They hang up, and miss harper says thank-you I kinda feel better now, mrs. faulkner says good... the boys come in says hey can we all watch a movie before bed?"

Miss Harper smiled at the boys, their enthusiasm a welcome distraction from the unease still lingering in her chest. She glanced at Mrs. Faulkner, who nodded.

Miss harper goes into the garage and pops her trunk to grab the groceries the boys come in and help.

As Miss Harper popped open the Impala’s trunk, she grabbed a few grocery bags and handed them to the boys.

"Here, take these inside," she said, ruffling Alex’s hair as he took a bag.

After a few minutes, the groceries were taken care of... miss harper but a bag of popcorn in the microwave... and told the boys to pick a movie saying nothing scary we already had a suspenseful enough of a day... the boys agreed.

They decided to put on happy Gilmore and eat their popcorn. Alex says, "Ouch right," Bob barker beats the crap out of Adam sandler.

Miss Harper chuckled as she tossed a handful of popcorn into her mouth. "Classic scene," she said, shaking her head.

Mrs. Faulkner, sitting back with a cup of tea, smirked. "I forgot how ridiculous this movie is. But honestly, Bob Barker had some moves."

The boys laughed as the fight scene continued, and Jake chimed in, "I still can’t believe the host of The Price Is Right is out here throwing punches like a pro."

Miss Harper leaned back against the couch. "It’s the unexpected stuff that makes movies like this great."

They all settled in, enjoying the lighthearted break from the stress of the day. By the time the credits rolled, the boys were yawning. Mrs. Faulkner stood up and stretched. "Alright, I think it’s time to get some sleep."

Alex groaned. "But that was barely a two-hour movie!"

Miss Harper smirked. "And it’s also already past your usual bedtime."

Jake sighed dramatically but stood up. "Fineee. But only because I’m actually kinda tired."

As the boys shuffled off to their room, Mrs faulkner shouts up to the boys, "Why dont you shower together tonight so you can save some hot water for miss harper...

The boys groaned in unison, but Alex shrugged. "I mean, it makes sense. Plus, it’ll be faster."

Jake sighed. "Fine, but no hogging the water."

Miss Harper chuckled from the kitchen as she finished cleaning up the popcorn bowls. "Just don’t take forever, or I might change my mind and use up all the hot water first!" she teased.

Mrs. Faulkner called back, "And no splashing around like it's a water park!"

The boys rolled their eyes but headed to the bathroom, knowing that after the long day they had, a warm shower would actually feel pretty nice. They took turns rinsing off under the warm water, keeping their splashing to a minimum—mostly to avoid getting scolded.

"Hey, Jake, do you think that creepy guy from the car show is gonna come back?" Alex asked quietly as he shampooed his hair.

Jake hesitated. "I don’t know… but Miss Harper looked really freaked out. And Mom letting her stay over? That’s not normal."

Alex nodded. "Yeah… but at least we have Detective Singer’s number now. And Miss Harper's tough. She wouldn’t let anything happen to us."

Jake smirked. "Yeah, she’s like a mix of Dean Winchester and Mom when she’s mad."

They both laughed, shaking off some of their nervousness.

After finishing up, they dried off and got into their pajamas before heading back downstairs, where Miss Harper was already curled up on the couch, scrolling through her phone. Mrs. Faulkner was tidying up in the kitchen, but she glanced over at them.

"All clean?" she asked.

"Yep," Alex said, flopping onto the couch.

"Good," Miss Harper said, stretching. "Now, let’s wrap up this crazy day and get some sleep, yeah?"

The boys nodded, but as they settled in for the night, a thought lingered in the back of their minds—who was that man, and why did he seem so interested in them?

Mrs faulkner asks Miss harper before you get in the shower. Can you get the boys diapered and tucked into bed....

Miss Harper nodded, stretching as she got up from the couch. "Yeah, of course."

The boys groaned but didn't argue, knowing the routine by now. She led them upstairs, grabbing what she needed before getting them both changed and into their pajamas.

"Alright, you two," she said, tucking them in. "Try to get some sleep, okay? No staying up whispering about monsters or creepy car show guys."

Alex gave her a sheepish smile. "No promises."

Miss Harper ruffled his hair. "Yeah, yeah. Goodnight, boys."

"Goodnight," they both mumbled as she shut off the light and stepped out.

She made her way back downstairs, where Mrs. Faulkner was already waiting with a towel in hand. "Here you go. And thanks for helping with the boys."

"Anytime," Miss Harper said, taking the towel. "I think they’re still a little on edge, but they’ll be alright."

Mrs. Faulkner nodded. "And you?"

Miss Harper hesitated before exhaling. "I’ll be fine. Just need a hot shower to clear my head."

"Alright," Mrs. Faulkner said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Bathroom’s all yours."

Miss Harper made her way to the bathroom, locking the door behind her. As she turned on the shower, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror—she looked more drained than she realized.

With a deep breath, she stepped under the hot water, letting it wash away the stress of the day. But no matter how much she tried to relax, a nagging feeling still lingered in the back of her mind. The note on her car, the strange man at the show—it all felt too coincidental.

She tried to shake it off, focusing instead on the warmth of the water, letting it soothe her tense muscles. By the time she stepped out, she felt a little better, but as she dried off and got dressed in the spare clothes, Mrs. Faulkner had lent her.

As she left the bathroom, she ran into mrs. faulkner in the hallway.

Mrs.faulker says, "Thanks for staying over. I know today was a lot, but I feel better knowing you're here."

Miss Harper smiled. "Me too."

With that, they both locked up the house, double-checking everything before finally heading to bed, hoping for a peaceful night.